


participation is required (doing things not typically allowed)

by momentssilence



Category: Game Grumps, Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Begging, Biting, Bottom!Mark, Dirty Talk, Fantasizing, Flirting, Friends With Benefits, Hair-pulling Kink, Insecurity, Light Dom/sub, Multi, Nipple Play, Polygrumps, Praise Kink, Safewording, Sub Drop, Switch!Dan, Threesome - M/M/M, Top!Arin, What Happens On The Grump Couch Stays On The Grump Couch, dating sim, if you can guess which one i’m projecting onto you get five bucks, it’s only a minor thing but still i feel like it should be tagged, i’m a simp for long hair, laughing during sex, mark is a bisexual disaster, no beta we die like men, porn can have little a plot. as a treat, psych it’s all of them, sorta - Freeform, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27217168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momentssilence/pseuds/momentssilence
Summary: Mark just wants everything to be normal, and simple, and not sexual between them.Or at least he thinks that.(this was supposed to be pwp, where did all this plot come from)
Relationships: Arin Hanson/Mark Fischbach, Background Dan Avidan/Arin Hanson/Suzy Berhow, Dan Avidan/Arin Hanson, Dan Avidan/Arin Hanson/Mark Fischbach, Dan Avidan/Mark Fischbach
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49





	participation is required (doing things not typically allowed)

**Author's Note:**

> title and beginning lines are from social climb by idkhbtfm, which has nothing to do with this, but it’s a really good song and this particular bit of the lyrics works with the story  
> quick note: i adore amy so, so much and totally respect her relationship with mark, but i don’t want to sit down and figure out the whole poly negotiations thing with her, and i one hundred percent am not writing cheating, so in this universe they amicably broke up about four or five months ago.

_but be advised  
participation is required  
doing things not typically allowed  
feels like we’re having a good time  
it’s true  
a wonderfully good time  
when i’m with you_

They’re playing some dating sim or another, one with plenty of furry culture and bad translation, when it just sort of- happens.

  
Arin and Dan had both been excited to have Mark over, after the eons in quarantine and so long without really talking, and even more so when they realized he could lend that “delicious, gooey voice” (Dan’s words) to some of the characters. Mark had been game (ha), and was delighted to once again be on the Grump Couch.

“B-but Auris! I-”

  
Mark is sure to add a little extra breathiness to the line, something some highschooler is sure to squeal over.

  
“Oh my god, is this actually happening?” Dan is bright-eyed from his spot buried beneath mountains of blankets. Arin’s grinning too, bouncing a little in his seat.

  
“I think it is, man, I really think so!”

  
Mark snickers a little, though he quickly clears his throat and continues reading the protagonist’s dialogue. Before them on the screen stands Auris, a majestic unicorn that the three have been trying to court for hours. Arin, personally, had gone for that character because he reminded him of Dan, and Dan and Mark had been happy to assist him in his dogged quest for a unicorn husbando. And finally-

  
“I feel the same about you!”

  
Dan gasps, emerging a little from his blanket cave.

  
“No fucking way. Are we- are we gonna sex up this unicorn?”

  
Mark laughs again, while Arin pulls a faux-offended face, smacking Dan lightly on the nose.

  
“Daniel! At least fuckin’ ask him on a date first!”

  
Dan shakes his head as he giggles, his explosion of hair bouncing prettily through the air. Mark suddenly realizes that he’s never really touched Dan’s hair, never sunk his fingers into those gorgeous curls. He wonders absently what his hair routine is, if he and Arin share shampoo now that they’re officially together.

  
And oh, isn’t that a thought, his two friends together in the shower, Arin sidling closer and closer up behind Dan under the pretense of washing his hair until the taller man’s ass is pressed up against him, until their bodies are flush and they can hear every noise the other makes.

  
Holy _fuck_ , where did that come from?

  
Arin and Dan are still bickering on how they’d approach the unicorn if they had more choices than the four little dialogue boxes that have just popped up in front of them. Mark shakes his head and clears his throat again, wishing he could untie his hair without being suspicious, if only to hide his ears, which feel almost searing hot. God, ew ew ew, they and Suzy have a thing and he doesn’t need to come bumbling into that, much less so soon after Amy and even sooner after he discovered that yeah, okay, Zac Efron was not an isolated incident.

  
Okay. Focus on the game. He can yell at himself later.

  
“Would you chucklefucks help me pick how to woo this mutant horse?”

  
And now they’re all laughing, Dan tipping out of his blanket nest to lean on Arin, who’s grinning at Mark like he just made his day, and alright, there’s a bit of a tug in his stomach. He pushes it down, leaning back against the couch and scrolling through the options, if only to have something to fidget with.

  
Dan scrubs at his eyes, sitting up a little.

  
“Whoo, okay, uh, what’d he say?”

  
“He says, uh, that it’s not possible, that a horse like us couldn’t know how to love a unicorn.”

  
Arin turns to Dan, that giddy smile still lingering as he says, “Sounds like me ‘n’ you, babe! Except, y’know, I’m not a horse.”

  
“So- wait, your problem with that wasn’t that I’m not a unicorn?”

  
“Nah, close enough.”

  
Mark’s voice is gonna be fucked after this, he’s been laughing every two seconds around these two. He doesn’t mind, strangely.

  
“Well, if you’re a horse, then I’ve gotta say, you’re pretty damn good at loving this unicorn.”

  
There’s a teasing lilt to Dan’s voice as he sprawls over Arin’s lap with a sunny smile, and _oh_ Dan’s hair is brushing Mark’s hand as he stares up at Arin with soft eyes, and it’s every bit as soft and glorious as he’d imagined, shining copper in the light. He pulls his hand back like it’s been burned, though the couple next to him don’t seem to notice.

  
“Gross. Talk about your sex lives all you want, just not while I’m here.”

It comes out a tiny bit harsh, and Arin shoots him a concerned look as Dan sits up, similarly worried, though neither say anything serious. Instead, in a similar tone to the one he’d used earlier, Dan says “What, the great Markiplier’s suddenly afraid of a little bit of flirting?”

  
Without looking away from the screen, Mark smirks. He knows this game, has played it for years while barely knowing the rules.

  
“Oh, was that what that was? It wasn’t directed towards me, so I couldn’t tell.”

  
Arin does something complicated and wriggly with his eyebrows, leaning forward onto Mark’s lap from the side and propping his head up in his hands with a wide smile.  
“Would you prefer it was, Markle-sparkle?”

  
Mark pushes him away, his smile fading a tad. He’s supposed to enjoy the game, but not in the way he’d enjoyed those precious few seconds of Arin giving him those dark eyes, even jokingly.

  
Keep playing. The game can be fun in the other way too.

  
“Arin, it’s cute that you call that flirting.”

  
“Oh I’ll show you cute-”

  
Mark hardly has time to let out a yelp before Arin is diving towards him, making him drop the Switch controller and nearly fall off the couch. Dan is laughing hysterically, and so is Arin, and so is Mark, until his leg slips and _oh Jesus that is Arin Hanson’s hand practically on his dick_.

  
He freezes, but neither of the others seem to notice, Arin sitting back up and letting Danny slump into him, seeming to fit together perfectly. Mark stays glued to the armrest, halfheartedly chuckling as Dan gasps “Oh my good fucking _Godnexttimeongamegrumps_.” The last part all comes out as one word as Arin blindly reaches for the controller, forgotten on the ground until now, and hits the pause button, letting his laughter subside into quiet coughs.

  
Dan extricates himself from the tangle of limbs and blankets and wires that is his end of the couch, smiling with a huff at Mark, seemingly not noticing the nervous way his eyes keep darting away, the way his limbs are still all pulled in, like he’ll be shielded somehow. He’s radiant, the lamp behind him backlighting him like a rockstar, which he is, Mark realizes, or an angel, which he could be.

  
Arin comes back from turning off the capture, plopping down between them, giving Dan a quick peck on the mouth and leaning back so his outstretched arms fall onto Mark’s leg, and there’s absolutely no way Arin didn’t feel the muscles jump in his thigh.

  
Mark laughs a little, trying to force his body to relax as Arin says “Dude, that was the best fuckin’ next time on Game Grumps ever! The- the timing and shit was- ohh, man, the lovelies are gonna lose their shit, dude!”

  
Arin’s hands are _still on his leg, why aren’t they moving_ as Mark says, “Nah, that’s mostly your work though. I just acted like a confident prick and got tackled.”  
Dan giggles from behind them, and Arin sits up, ruffling his hair like it’s the most natural thing in the world as he stands, stretching so half his stomach is exposed. Mark looks away, feeling the familiar heat of embarrassment begin to creep into his cheeks.

  
“I’m gonna go get some fuckinnnn. Cereal I guess. You guys want anything?”

  
Danny shrugs, flopping over so his legs are curled over the back of the couch and his hair is brushing the ground.

  
“I’ll probably just steal some of yours, so I’m good.”

  
Arin cracks a smile at that, turning and walking out of the room into the empty halls of the Grump Office. His shorts are riding distractingly high, showcasing his frankly absurdly attractive thighs and clinging to his ass, and Mark is definitely blushing now.

  
He lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair as he falls back against the armrest, looking up at the ceiling.

  
“You okay, man?”

  
Mark glances down at Dan, still upside down, the blood rushing down to his face beginning to color his cheeks.

  
“Yeah, I’m alright, just a little tired. You’d think after all this I’d have some more energy for talking to people and just, like, being a normal person, y’know?”

  
Dan sits up and nods, his curls rearranging themselves into a devastatingly messy pile.

  
_Does Arin love his hair as much as Mark does?_

_Does Dan let him run his hands through it, sink his fingers into it, pull it?_

_  
Would he let Mark do the same?_

  
“Hell-ooo, earth to Maark?”

  
Mark blinks, and he realizes Dan’s been talking to him. The taller man has a soft smile on his face, and Mark feels something in his stomach tighten as he realizes Dan has placed a hand on his knee. He shakes his head exaggeratedly, hoping the flustered embarrassment he’s feeling doesn’t show on his face.

  
“Eheh, sorry. ‘M kinda spacey today.”

  
“Does that have anything to do with the tent you’re starting to pitch?”

  
Mark’s eyes go comically wide, and, sure enough, he realizes his dick is at least half-mast in his jeans. Dan laughs a little, scooting back and shrugging.  
“Hey, it’s fine, man, everyone gets no-reason-boners. I’m not creeped out or anything.”

  
_No reason boner. Yeah, none at all, definitely not thinking about you and your boyfriend fucking in the shower_

_._  
Mark stands up, feeling dizzy and half-hysterical. Most of his blood seems to have relocated to his cheeks, though it’s quickly making the trip south as well.

“I’ll, uh, go take care of it. Not, like- I meant make it go away. Sorry.”

  
Tripping over the wires, he barely hears Dan call out to him as he fast-walks out of the recording room, flying past the walls of amiibos and games into the Portal-themed bathroom, which he quickly locks himself into.

  
Head in his hands, he can hear Arin outside, walking back to the couch from the kitchen. When he speaks, it’s muffled, as though he’s mid-chew.

  
“Where’s Mark goin’? I saw him running like fuckin’ crazy when I was leaving the kitchen.”

  
Mark blocks out Dan’s reply, too panicky to process other people talking. They’re gonna know, why couldn’t he have made it into a joke and taken it in stride, why couldn’t he never have thought of Arin’s body pressed tight against Dan, whispering filthy things into his ear as he tugged down those ridiculously tight jeans.

  
Okay, that train of thought is _not_ helping Mini-Mark chill out.

  
The Grumps are still talking, but they’ve closed the door to the recording room behind them, so Mark can’t tell what they’re saying. Most likely, they’re discussing what’s up with him. He wonders which one of them will figure it out first.

  
Probably Arin. He’s always been tuned in to the gay shit going on in his friendships. Even from the beginning, he’s been pushing Dan’s buttons, finding the ones that made him start thinking less _I’m straight because I like girls_ and more _I like girls, but I only thought I was straight because I’d never tried anything else._

  
Mark suddenly remembers something, a video clip Seàn had sent him a couple months ago from way back in 2014. It was from the Grumps’ Pokémon Fire Red playthrough, and though he thought it was funny, he only really started paying attention when he heard his name, and then started paying a _lot_ more attention when Arin said, with no hesitation, that he’d fuck him, and Dan, with only a bit of stuttering and stumbling, had quickly agreed.

 _ _  
__Mark remembers laughing for a second and then turning off the video in favor of starting to set up for recording.

 _ _  
__The whole time, Mark had been distracted. He’d forgotten the controls to a game he’d already been playing for three episodes, and he could barely remember what the NPC’s were telling him to do, because his head was too full of thoughts of Dan sucking a bruise into his neck as his long fingers skimmed his chest, Arin kneeling between his legs and looking up at him with a mouthful of cock, one fucking into him from behind while the other wrapped their hand around him(it didn’t matter which was which, they would both treat him so well from either position), their voices blending together into pants of “good boy” and “gorgeous” as they filled him, used him, praised him.

  
He’d had to stop recording because of how sweaty his palms were getting.

  
Present-Mark bites back a groan as he shifts in his seat, his usually comfortable jeans far too tight feeling now. He’s definitely at more than a half-chub now, and as he lifts his head from his hands and looks into the blue-ringed mirror, he knows that they’ll be able to tell, too.

  
Would they mind, though?

  
Mark shakes his head, letting out a frustrated sigh. That video was years ago, and even if they still remembered it, they surely meant it as a joke.

  
He’ll go out there, and if they’ve figured it out (which they surely have), he’ll apologize, and they’ll never have to talk about it again.

  
Zipping up his hoodie halfway and tugging it down to cover himself, he opens the bathroom door. It’s almost eerily quiet in the office, and as he walks back to the recording room, he almost wishes more people would be here.

  
The door’s open again when he approaches, and he can hear Arin talking quietly, though he can’t quite make out the words. He lets out a breath, steps closer to the doorway, mouth opening as he quickly formulates an apology.

  
He steps into the doorway.

  
His mouth shuts.

  
From his vantage point, he can see that Arin is on top of Dan, cuddled close to his chest while still supporting some of his own weight. Mark would think they were just snuggling, were it not for the constant circular motion Arin’s hips are doing, and for the quiet whimpering sounds Dan keeps making.

  
Mark wants to move, but it feels like he’s glued in place, mouth dry and face hot.

  
Arin’s speaking now, a quiet rumble that makes Mark shiver a bit.

  
“Do you want that, baby?”

  
Dan nods, and Mark knows his eyes are shining.

  
“Let’s fuckin’ do this.”

  
Arin presses a kiss to Danny’s lips, but it’s unexpectedly short, and even more unexpectedly, he stands up from the couch.  
“I’ll bring him here, yeah?”

  
Are they talking about _him?_

  
Mark barely has time to think _Oh fuck_ before Arin is turning around, stopping dead in his tracks when he sees Mark standing stock-still in the doorway.  
And then he grins and turns back to Dan.

  
“Guess he brought himself, huh?”

  
Mark’s completely out of his depth, sputtering out “I- w- huh-“ as Arin approaches him, eyes dark and gorgeous. He puts a hand on Mark’s chest, and suddenly they’re much closer. Not nose-to-nose, but enough that at least a third of his brain has decided that screaming is the best option here.

  
“Hey, Mark.”

  
“Y- uh- yeah?”

  
His hands are almost shaking.

  
“Kiss me.”

  
Mark’s so startled he actually takes a step back, and Arin’s expression quickly shifts from confident and flirty to confused and disappointed, pulling back his hand.

  
“I, uh, guess that’s a no. I- we thought- with how you were acting that you wanted-“

  
Mark nods, then shakes his head, then nods again.

  
“No, I mean not no, but, I want- I dunno why I’m so nervous, but yeah, I want this. That. Y’know. The thing you just said.“

  
Dan swings his legs off the edge of the couch, approaching with a soft look in his eyes. Mark gulps.

  
“It’s okay to be nervous. You haven’t explored this part of yourself yet, and.. that’s fine.”

  
Mark shuffles his feet, looking determinedly away from the near-full hardons both of them have.

  
“Y’know, usually I’d be making a joke about how you could, um, explore me anytime, but I don’t have the brain power to fake that attitude.”

  
They both laugh, and Dan walks closer, and oh, Mark sort of likes that he has to look up to meet his eyes. He swallows at air again, glancing over to Arin, who’s watching and looking mildly interested. Only his flushed cheeks give him away, not to mention his extremely dilated pupils. He gestures vaguely at Dan as he speaks.

  
“Go ahead.”

  
Mark nods, wetting his lips, and then Dan’s hand is on his face. If he thought his face was warm earlier, it seems to be getting to there-is-fire-in-my-veins temperatures as the taller man’s thumb brushes over his cheek, his face dazed but pleased.

  
Mark’s mind is a constant stream of _ohfuckohfuckohfuck_ as Dan crowds in closer and kisses him.

  
A quiet sound escapes Mark as he presses his chest closer, and when Dan turns his head a bit to accommodate the change, the brush of his stubble against his face is like little prickles of lightning. His hands have just been hovering by his waist, but he remembers to use them when Dan slips his slim arms under Mark’s more muscular ones. Uncontrolled by him, his hands skim up Danny’s sides and chest, finding purchase, finally, in that beautiful hair, getting a quiet “mmh” from him in response.

  
Mark finally begins to feel confident enough to take a bit more charge, but that feeling evaporates as soon as Arin presses up against his back, and suddenly it’s him in the shower, him having his hair washed and the taller man stepping closer and closer until there’s barely an inch of space between their hips, but Dan’s there too, a ringlet of his hair brushing Mark’s forehead, his unclothed body all pretty angles and slight curves.

  
A hand, or maybe two hands, palm lightly over his cock, and he isn’t sure whose it is, but he moans quietly and leans into it anyways, though it means separating his ass from Arin.

  
Dan pulls away (as does his wandering hand), and when Mark’s eyes flutter open with a gasp, he’s blatantly staring, mouth hanging slightly open. He stammers for a moment, and then-

  
“You gotta try this, dude.”

  
Mark turns, dazed, to Arin, who has a hungry look in his eyes as he says, “How about it?”

  
And Mark’s walking forward, pulling Arin’s shoulders towards him with shaky hands as he kisses him.

  
Arin immediately moans, echoing Mark’s shudder from earlier as he grabs at the shorter man’s torso. _Should’ve known that Arin’d be greedy_ , he thinks dazedly, but thinking will become a thing of the past if he keeps getting this kind of treatment.

  
One of them is grabbing at his ass, almost kneading, and the other is slipping his fingers under the bottom of Mark’s button-up, tracing little patterns, and the tug in his stomach is getting gradually more insistent as Arin pushes him back.

  
Mark thinks he’s just going to let him breathe for a moment, but instead, he’s going for the neck, pressing eager, wet kisses all along the column of his throat that just barely scratch from his mustache, and something hot and needy in Mark’s core tightens, an embarrassingly loud whine coming out of him as Dan begins to do the same.  
Mark wonders what they look like, him in the middle with his face flushed and his head lolling back, one hand tangled in Danny’s hair and the other desperately clawing at Arin’s back, who’s making noises one would typically associate with five-star food as he moves operations to his jawline, and Dan, holding him in place by his hips, sucking the earlobe with the piercing hole in it into his mouth.

  
“I- _fuck-_ “ he breathes as Dan squeezes his ass, “We sh- should sit down, my legs won’t remember to w- to work.”

  
Dan lets go of his waist, nodding. His voice is just beginning to sound strained and desperate, and Mark feels a little shiver go straight from the top of his spine to his groin.

  
“Fair.”

  
Arin pouts against his neck, but relents, letting Mark stumble to the couch and flop down. He closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them, Arin and Dan are kissing, leaning against the back of the couch. Though he’s not meant to hear, between kisses he catches Arin whispering “He’s so pretty, so nervous, wanna fuck it out of him until he’s greedy and loud,” and Dan’s answering moan tells Mark exactly what he thinks of that idea. The word pretty in reference to him makes his cock stiffen even more in his pants, and he unzips them, toying with himself through the fabric as he watches the two kiss. He barely notices when his eyes close, when his gentle strokes turn into pawing that nears desperation.

  
“Mark.”

  
His eyes shoot open, because of course they do, Arin’s talking to him using that tone as he works himself up. His throat feels thick and dry as he looks up at Arin.

  
“Yeah?”

  
He circles around the couch, sitting down between Mark’s open legs and placing a hand on his knee, eyes focused and serious and hot.

  
“Sit up.”

  
It’s not a request, it’s an order, and Mark feels a wave of anticipation wash down his spine as he pushes himself upright. Dan’s still standing behind the couch, but he leans against the back, resting his head in one hand as Arin speaks.

  
“What do you want, Mark?”

  
The question catches him off guard. He thought (nearly hoped) that sitting up would only be the first order of many, but as he thinks about it, he realizes it would be stupid to do that without setting some kind of boundaries.

  
“I, uh. Anything you’ll give me, I guess.”

  
That's a good answer, judging by the way Arin almost imperceptibly bites down on his lip, but he isn’t moving, just looking.

  
“I mean, what did you think about earlier that got you so prettily flustered?”

  
Oh, he’s so fucked.

  
Mark swallows, and manages to croak out, “I- there were two things I thought about.”

  
There’s a quiet, breathy sound from Dan, and Arin’s tongue darts out for a brief moment. They’re both just _watching_ , and he feels like a butterfly pinned to a cork board.

  
He can’t do it.

  
Arin’s face shifts to something softer, and he says “Dan, I think Mark is gonna need something to loosen his gorgeous lips. Any ideas?”

  
Dan shifts in place, giving Mark a deliberately slow once-over, and walks around the couch, switching places with Arin to sit between his legs.

  
“A few, yeah.”

  
Mark feels his breath hitch as he numbly watches his hoodie being unzipped, Dan’s hands quickly setting to work on the buttons of his shirt. He snaps out of it, hurriedly tossing the hoodie onto the floor and leaning down to help the taller man with the buttons, starting at the top. They meet in the middle, and when their hands brush, Dan quickly slips the shirt off of his shoulders, kissing him again, with only slightly less internal panicking involved on Mark’s end this time. Mark pulls the shirt off and, consciously this time, slides his hands deep into Dan’s hair, giving it an experimental tug to pull him closer.

  
As soon as the button-up hits the ground, Dan pulls away before quickly diving back down, biting lightly at his collarbone, fingers stroking the opposite nipple. Mark moans, letting his hands settle on Dan’s head, letting him take care of him. When the taller man’s mouth connects with his left nipple, he writhes at the feeling, a loud cry bubbling up from within him. He’s always been sensitive there, but months without sex have made him overly aware of how fucking good the flat of a tongue feels against it.

  
“Fuckin’ Jesus, dude,” Arin says, eyes unabashedly wide as Dan scrapes his teeth lightly against it, making the shorter man moan again, hands clenching hard in Dan’s hair, eyes squeezing shut. Dan lifts his face up just enough to speak.

  
“You, uh, you really like that, huh?”

  
His voice is soft and awed as Mark nods quickly, unashamed, face screwed up in pleasure as Dan repeats the same movement on the other side, earning a gasping moan.

  
“Yes, shit, Arin, Danny, _please-_ “

  
“Please what?”

  
Arin leans on the back of the couch with an air of faux-confidence- or maybe it’s legit, Mark can’t tell, all he knows is it’s hot- and says, “Please do what, Mark?”

  
Mark’s eyes go wide, and he looks to Arin, wondering if he’s kidding. He’s not, he decides, and then Dan bites on his nipple and there’s a hot shock of pleasure striking his spine and traveling throughout his nervous system, making him groan out a “Nghh, fuck, so good-“

  
And Dan’s pulling off of his chest, leaving him breathing hard and shirtless beneath him, his hair messy from his head pushing back into the pillow. Arin is looking at him like he wants to devour him, a promising bulge in his shorts, gorgeous lips just barely glossy from where his tongue passed moments before, and Dan’s a vision above him, eyes soft but stern, cheeks colored, hair even frizzier than usual.

  
“Arin asked you a question.”

  
Oh fuck.

  
That seems to be his brain’s new favorite thing to say.

  
Dan lowers himself back down to his chest, slowly working his way up from the navel. Arin still stands above him, waiting.

  
“I, uh, was in my chair that I record in when I was f-first thinking about this, so we’re definitely sitting down somewhere.”

  
Arin nods, and Mark bites back a curse as Dan’s tongue traces the bottom of his rib cage, hands pressing into the dips in his hipbones.

  
“And y- ah, god-“ There’s a shiver down his spine as the taller man sucks a mark into a spot just below his pec.

  
“Y-you’re between my legs, and you pull down my pants, and I-“ Mark’s voice catches in his throat as Dan bites down on the divot in his clavicle, just hard enough to bruise. He wonders how many times that mouth has done exactly that to Arin, if it made him moan and whine and cry out. He seems like someone that’d like that.

  
Mark forces his train of thought back on track.

  
“Gh- Dan’s behind me, he’s kissing me, and my neck, and then y-you start sucking me o-“

  
Mark nearly sobs, back arching, as Dan sucks hard on his right nipple. Arin’s breathing has gotten hard enough he can hear it from where he is on the couch, but the taller man’s still not moving, pinning him down with his eyes.

  
Mark keeps going.

  
“A- and then you switch to f-fingering me-“ Mark’s face is burning. He’s never had anything up there, but porn always makes it look so easy, and so hot.

  
“And then, uh, Dan st- sta- ah- starts fucking me, and y- uhn- you jerk me off at the same time.”

  
Dan’s completely abandoned his reddening nipples in favor of grinding his hips mercilessly downwards, letting out quiet gasps and moans.

  
“God, that’s- that’s filthy.”

  
Mark offers a breathless grin to Arin (when did he switch to this side of the couch?), whose mouth is half open, eyes darting between where Dan’s cock meets Mark’s and his chest, where the bite marks are beginning to fade from bright red to a pretty mauve color.

  
“‘S my middle name, y’know. Mark ‘Filthy’ Fischbach.”

  
Arin laughs disbelievingly, eyes wild, and grabs him by the jaw, leaning down and kissing him so hard he sees stars.

  
Somewhere along the line, Dan moves farther down the couch to make room for Arin, who’s now straddling Mark as he alternates between long, messy kisses that make Mark think half the drool in his mouth isn’t his and sharp little nips and licks at his neck that immediately suck even the thought of moisture out of his mouth.

  
Suffice to say, he has literally all of his attention.

  
So much so that he doesn’t even hear his own pants and moans, so it’s understandable that, until he hears a loud, breathy “Ah- oh, shit-” from behind them, he isn’t concerned in the slightest with what Dan is doing.

  
Arin turns his head and makes an appreciative noise, and Mark, head still foggy, sits up to see what Arin’s looking at.

  
And _fuck_ , is it a sight.

  
Dan’s eyes are squeezed shut and his head is tilted back, one hand shoved into his boxers and the other slipped into his hair, pulling at it just enough to make his face redden, his mouth hanging open as he gasps. His nipples are beautifully hard, visible even underneath his sweatshirt, and Mark sits up without really realizing that he’s doing it. He wants to crawl between Dan’s legs and press an open-mouthed kiss to his chest, see if he squirms when he pulls at his own hair.

  
Arin beats him to it, and Mark can see Dan’s toes curl, his hand slipping out of his hair and cradling the back of Arin’s head as he gasps. Arin’s murmuring something into his collarbone as he offers a few firm strokes to the other man’s cock.

  
“Y’gotta wait, baby, Mark needs you to be patient until you’re in his tight little ass, can you do that for us?”

  
Mark gulps, and Dan’s half-cracked eye follows the movement of his Adam’s apple as he whimpers a “Yes, oh fuck, Ar, if you keep goin’ I won’t be able to-“

  
And Arin pulls off, pressing two gentle kisses to Dan’s nose and flushed cheeks respectively.

  
“D’you wanna finger him, or should I?”

  
Mark thinks about Dan’s fingers, long and nimble, scissoring inside him, or Arin’s, shorter, but thicker, spreading him open, and suddenly he feels a little nauseous. He didn’t prep or anything, and he’s never done anything like that before, and-

  
“I don’t- I dunno if I want-“

  
He’s looking down at the piece of couch between them, and they’re so quiet now, and he just knows they’re both looking at him with confusion, Arin still leaning into Dan’s chest. God, he’s such a _coward_ , didn’t he just say he wanted them to do it? And now, just as they’re getting excited about it, he’s backing off, disappointing them.

  
“‘M really sorry, I just-“ He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh. “I know I just said I wanted to, and I know you wanted that too, but I can’t- I’m not ready.”

  
He can feel Dan’s soft eyes on him, can imagine how Arin’s glancing between the two of them as he figures out what to say.

  
“Dude, don’t be sorry.”

  
Mark shakes his head as soon as the words are out of Dan’s mouth.

  
“I know you’re just saying that to be nice. You wanted to- to have sex-“ the words feel clunky coming out of his mouth, which is really stupid, considering what he’d just been describing to Arin- “and I- I don’t feel ready to give that to you guys.”

  
A hand is on his knee, and he’s wincing a little, waiting to hear soft sadness in Arin’s voice, or maybe full-blown annoyance, but instead he sounds mildly amused as he says “Dude, you really think we need anal to enjoy ourselves?”

  
He looks up into Arin’s face, then glances over to Dan, who snorts a little before he speaks.

  
“Yknow, I would’ve put that a little more gently, but you got the sentiment pretty well.”

  
“I- what- you’re not disappointed?”

  
His voice sounds confused and hopeful, and both of the other men crack a smile.

  
“Of course not, man! If you’re not ready yet, that’s totally fine, and if you’re never ready, that’s cool too.”

  
Dan nods, adding “Besides, actually like.. being able to do-“ he gestures wildly around to their various states of undress and arousal- “any of this stuff is fucking magical to me.”

  
“Yeah?”

  
Mark’s voice is blatantly needy, even to his own ears, and he knows his eyes are dark and wide.

  
A hand appears from his periphery, and his chin is being tilted up with two nimble fingers, leaving him staring up at Dan as he straddles Mark’s bent legs.

  
“Hm. There is a good solution I can think of.”

  
Mark swallows, letting Dan start to lean him back against the armrest, propping himself up with his elbows. He hears rustling fabric, and when he glances to the right, Arin’s pulling off his t-shirt, and his body nearly makes Mark salivate. There’s a little mole just to the right of the dip in his collarbone, and Mark wants to run his tongue over it, wants to press his mouth to the spot where the soft, dark hairs on his stomach meet his boxers.

  
Dan’s hand skims across his chest, and as he speaks, soft and low, Mark shudders a little.

  
“Do you want me to fuck your thighs, Mark?”

  
Oh _Jesus_ , his mouth falls open a bit as his brain is swamped with images of himself, head thrown back as he cries out, balancing in Danny’s lap as Arin kneels between his spread legs, the soft heat of Arin’s mouth and the hard, hot feeling of Dan’s cock slipping easily in front of his. He sees a smile that, if he could think properly, he would call sultry, or perhaps lecherous, spread across Arin’s face as he presses a quick kiss to Dan’s cheek.

  
“I like the way you think, babe.”

  
He turns his attention to Mark, and the hair on the back of his neck stands up as he looks up at Arin.

  
“You gonna be a good boy? Gonna come in my mouth as you’re letting my boyfriend fuck you?”

  
Mark’s breath is coming out in quiet pants, his eyes darting between Arin and Dan, legs unconsciously squeezing together.

  
“Yeah, yes, ‘course, fuck, I need-“

  
The words are barely out of his mouth when he sees movement from the corner of his eye. When he looks over Arin is stripping his shorts off, and shit, he recognizes the boxers he’s wearing, remembers staring at them during the stupid pole dancing video they’d filmed together years ago. They’re gray, with a white waistband and white piping on the edges, and he fucking knows if Arin turns around the word “CAAAAKES” will be printed on the back. They’re pretty form-fitting, and as such are doing absolutely nothing to hide his boner. It looks thick, and Mark tries to subtly lick his lips as he imagines Dan laying on his back, hair splayed out beneath him, Arin almost unable to fit inside him as he fucks into him slowly.

  
“I know, right?”

  
He startles a little, looking over to Dan, who looks half a second from drooling, eyes fixated on Arin as he smirks cockily, jutting one hip out and doing a slow turn.

  
“You remember these, dontcha?”

  
Mark and Dan both nod reverently, and now Dan is standing, running his hands across his partner’s chest, lightly dragging his nails down Arin’s stomach and making him shiver as he traces his hipbones. Dan plucks at the waistband of his boxers, glancing up into Arin’s eyes for permission and getting a shaky nod in return before slipping them down.

  
Mark’s seen dicks before. Hell, he’s seen Arin’s dick before. But somehow, watching the way his thick cock bobs as Dan pulls his boxers off, standing out flushed and hard between his (absolutely fucking perfect holy shit) thighs is the most erotic thing he’s ever seen. Distractedly, he pulls at his jeans, working them down off his legs while keeping his eyes fixed on Arin and Dan as they undress each other.

  
He feels his thighs tense when Dan slips down his nondescript black boxers and does a sarcastic twirl, the realization that he’s the only person with a stitch of clothing left on hitting him suddenly, and he feels his breath tighten in his throat as he stares.

  
Excalibur, jutting out from between Danny’s bony hips, is as impressive as expected, maybe a bit over eight inches and with a delicate curve to it. Mark feels a small shiver run through him when Arin, completely naked _(what the fuck his friend is completely naked and is going to blow him)_ , reaches around and gives it an appreciative jerk. Dan’s knees nearly buckle, and he presses a quick kiss to Arin’s mouth, as though that’ll distract from the quiet “hghh-“ he just made, or his hot pink ears. Arin doesn’t buy the nonchalant act, Mark can tell by the way he grins, slapping Dan’s ass (which makes him yelp, then smile fondly, just like it did in the video) as he walks to the back of the room, grabbing a nondescript backpack and setting it down on the table.

  
At the confused look Mark gives him, Arin smiles again, digging through a pocket and pulling out a small, clear bottle, dangling it in the shorter man’s face.

  
“The sooner those tighty whities get off, the sooner we all get off, so-” he makes a vague motion at Mark’s still-clothed hips- “strip.”

  
Mark starts to stammer out something, but Arin interrupts him, eyes lighting up. Dan, standing to the side, bites down on his bottom lip, and Mark can see he’s gotten even harder.

  
“Or one of us could do it for you.”

  
“I- j- uh- yeah, okay.”

  
The words are out of his mouth before he even knows it, and suddenly his vision is filled with a whole lot of Dan. He’s standing incredibly close, and when Mark gets to his feet, their noses can almost touch.

  
Mark glances away, and he can feel his heartbeat getting faster as Danny’s hands begin pulling down his boxers, long fingers brushing his hips. When he’s finally exposed, he feels a pulse of anticipation sweep through him, the cold air doing nothing to deter his arousal.

  
Something in him says to look up, and when he does, Dan is looking right back at him, a little smile on his face.

  
“Welcome to the D Club, man.”

  
There’s a moment of silence, and then Mark is giggling, and Dan’s laughing too, and Arin is snickering in the background, looking at Dan with a mixture of amusement and disappointment.

  
“That was really hot, dude, c’mon, why’d you have to make a fucking D-Club joke?”

  
Dan laughs harder at his partner’s whining, as does Mark, doubling over and holding onto his knees. The pure absurdity of the situation is really hitting him, they were literal seconds away from a threesome, all completely naked, and now he can barely breathe because he’s losing his shit over something dumb that Arin did over ten years ago.

  
Dan’s the first to recover from the laughing fit, and Mark jumps upright in surprise when he feels a hand cup his ass.

  
“Holy shit, you didn’t have to make me laugh to feel up my butt, dude, y’coulda just asked.”

  
He feels Dan’s chest press into his back, and he glances back. Dan’s mouth is hanging open just a sliver, and his eyes are fixated on Mark’s hips. _Jesus, when he said he was a major ass man, he wasn’t lying._

  
Arin’s coming up in front of him now, and Mark immediately grabs for him, running his hands over his chest and his back, relishing in the quiet moan he gets when he runs his fingers over his hips, his hands meeting in the middle. There’s a moment of panic in Mark’s head, then his horniness wins over, and he lets his hand fall just a tad lower.

  
He’s touching Arin’s dick.

  
Somehow, the sun does not explode.

  
What happens instead is Arin’s hips jolt forward, his eyes fluttering shut as he lets out an absolutely delicious gasp, which is significantly better than the solar system suffering near-instantaneous heat death. Mark gives him a few experimental pumps, his other hand still wandering across Arin’s wonderfully sensitive hips, staring with blatant want at the other man’s flushed face. Dan grinds his hips forward, and Mark feels his nerve endings light up as Dan’s cock presses up against him, and judging by the unabashed groan he hears, Dan enjoys the feeling as much as he does.

  
Suddenly, long-fingered hands are tugging him backward, and he trips over his own feet, falling easily into Dan’s lap. He shifts back a bit, looking back just in time to see the taller man bite his already bruising lip, breath heavy as he leans forward and fumbles for the bottle Arin set down.

  
And Arin..

  
 _Oh_ , Arin is dropping to his knees as he ties up his hair, pale thighs spread wide, cock mouthwateringly pinkened. He looks up, and whatever expression Mark has on his face must be odd, because he’s smiling smugly again, finishing with his hair and running his hands up his body. Mark can’t help but follow along with the movement, eyes tracing from between his legs, to the pronounced trail of hair which leads up to just below his broad chest, to his muscular arms and shoulders.  
“Y’ready for the beej of a lifetime?”

  
Mark glances back to Dan and lets out a nervous laugh. He can feel the older man’s knuckles brushing his back as he sets the bottle back down, slicking himself up with the other hand.

  
“I mean, as ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

  
Dan’s non-lubed hand reaches around and grabs at his chest, fingers playing lightly with a nipple, and Mark is oddly reminded of pulling that exact move on past girlfriends.

The older man’s voice drops to a rough, low register that makes Mark suck in a quiet gasp.

  
“Couldn’t quite hear you, pretty boy. Do you wanna get fucked or not, Mark?”

  
One of Dan’s hands slips into his hair, tugging his head back so he’s forced to look him in the eye. Mark wets his lips, feeling himself twitch at the dull pain.

  
“I- uh- yes, sir.”

  
Dan blinks, a bit surprised, and releases his grip on Mark’s hair with a smile.

  
“Good.”

  
And then, suddenly, Dan’s repositioning himself, and okay that’s definitely his dick that’s pressing up against the bottom of Mark’s own, and he’d think about that more but he feels a soft hand on him, and he looks forward just in time to see Arin take the tip of his cock into his mouth, swirling his tongue around and looking up with dark eyes, and how could he not be moaning quietly now, honestly?

  
Dan’s mouth is hot on his neck, his voice low and gravelly.

  
“Isn’t he good at that?”

  
Mark squeezes his eyes shut with a whimper, because if he looks at Arin, kneeling naked between his legs, face flushed pink and drooling a bit as he begins to take him deeper and deeper, he might come immediately. Dan keeps talking.

  
“He fucking loves it, y’know, loves hearing people fall apart just from his mouth. I can record it sometime if y’ want, he gets me and Suzy so loud.”

  
Mark would argue that Dan is certainly contributing to his falling apart, but Arin’s pressing the flat of his tongue against the head and bobbing his head in a way that makes his hips jolt forward, his eyes fluttering open once more as he gasps. Arin flinches, but just barely, continuing to lave his tongue over Mark’s cock, and Danny moans, beginning to gently buck his hips upward between Mark’s thighs. His tip brushes Arin’s neck, leaving a small smear of precome, but Arin just pulls off of Mark and swipes at it with a finger, licking it off.

  
It’s about the most gorgeous thing Mark’s ever seen, and he makes an unintelligible, choked whiny sound as Arin leans back in, taking him more than two-thirds of the way in one swallow like it’s nothing, letting out a content groan that sends vibrations through his nerves.

  
“Ah, fuck, I can tell th-that he loves it.”

  
Mark’s voice cracks a little as he speaks, and Arin nods smugly, making an obscene, wet sound with his lips as he starts to bob his head faster, which makes Mark whine, bucking his hips forward again.

  
Dan’s switched to full-on fucking his thighs, and the feeling of the taller man rutting into him, letting out quiet gasps as he watches Arin practically deepthroat him, makes a hot spark travel through his nerves as he groans, leaning back onto Dan for support.

  
“I’m, aH! I’m not gonna- gonna last much longer, oh god, _fuck-_ “

Dan makes an uninterested “mm” sound, breathing heavy as he reaches around Mark, pumping both of them. His fist brushes Arin’s lips, and they make eye contact over Mark’s shoulder for a brief moment as he throws his head back, grabbing at the couch.

  
“I can’t- I can’t- ohh, please, please, Jesus Christ, please more-“

  
“Y’beg so pretty, wanna record you so I can listen to you whenever I want.”

  
Mark lets out a choked, breathy sound, watching the hypnotizing way Arin’s pink, slick lips move up and down his length. Dan’s unoccupied hand finds its way to Mark’s hips and grabs there, pulling him back towards him, holding him in place as he presses a soft kiss to the spot just below Mark’s ear. Mark feels his eyes slip shut, and, almost unconsciously, he starts fucking into Arin’s mouth, slowly at first, but gradually increasing speed, and Arin just _takes_ it, swallowing around him occasionally so he doesn’t drool too much, and it’s almost too good.

  
“Oh my god, I- ah ff-fuck, so good, please, shit-“

  
“Mm, are you gonna let him come down your throat, Ar?”

  
Mark nods frantically, gasping for air, quiet whines of “ _yes, god, please, Arin, Dan, fuck_ ” coming out with each breath. Arin pulls off of his cock, idly stroking, just barely enough to keep Mark on edge. His lips are almost swollen, and he wipes the mixture of his own spit and Mark’s pre off of them before he speaks.

  
“If he asks nicely, then sure.”

  
And then he’s diving back down, spreading Mark’s nearly shaking thighs wider to get better access, looking up expectantly at him.

  
The command has barely left his mouth before a stream of broken curses come out of Mark, eyes flicking up to the ceiling as he steels himself for the embarrassment that washes over him as he begins to beg, breath stuttering between words.

  
“Mmh- I- Arin, can I please, ohh _shit_ , can I c-come, I’ve been good, please let me, please, _please-_!”

Instead of answering verbally, Arin leans in, nose almost brushing his stomach, and looks back up at Mark, eyes dark and unwavering. Mark makes a high pitched sound as Dan bites on his neck again, the dullness of the pain and sharpness of the waves of pleasure nearly overwhelming him.

  
“C’mon, you’re almost there. God, you’re both so gorgeous, shit, shit, I- oh- ‘M gonna come, Jesus _Christ_!”

  
And with that, Danny’s coming, back arching forward, face pressed into Mark’s shoulder to smother his moans as he rolls his hips as hard as he can. Mark feels the knot in his stomach tighten at the feeling of his abdomen being coated in Dan’s come. Arin’s still going, eyes almost glazed over as he sucks determinedly on the end of his cock, hand working the portion that isn’t in his mouth. Mark covers his mouth with his hand, muffling his quiet, desperate cries, as the older man starts to swallow him to the base again.

  
“Oh shit- so- you’re so good, please Arin, I can’t, I’m g-“

  
“Let go Mark, come down his throat, such a good slut.”

  
Mark nearly gasps at Dan’s growled words, slightly slurred by the post-orgasm haze. His mouth is just _going_ now, spilling out some of the most embarrassing things he’s ever said, and he can’t be fucked to stop because Arin’s pumping his cock hard, looking up at him in anticipation with his mouth open.

  
“Yes, god, wanna be good for you guys, wanna be- ah, ah- fuck, I’m-“

  
And he’s coming, _finally_ , Arin swallowing around him one last time as Dan murmurs sweet, filthy nothings into his ear.

  
As he pulls himself out of the fuzzy, warm haze he’d slipped into, Arin pulls off of his softening cock, admiring the splatter of Dan’s come on Mark’s stomach and legs.

  
“What’s goin’ on down there, Ar?”

  
Dan’s voice is tired but pleased, and he’s craning his neck just in time to see his partner begin to make his way up Mark’s torso with slow, deliberate licks. Mark shudders at the overstimulation, pushing Arin off a little and exaggeratedly pouting in response to his disappointed look.

  
“C’mere, dude.”

  
He stands, offering a hand to Arin and pulling him upright. His eyes are still a little glazed, his nearly-red cock dripping, and Mark would be turned on all over again if he hadn’t just came.

  
He pulls Arin over to the couch, and, stumbling a little, he sits down between Mark’s legs. Mark grabs for the little clear bottle, slathering some of the contents on his right hand.

  
And then, for the second time in a day, Mark makes the choice to touch another man’s dick.

  
Arin lets out a little whimper at the feeling, rolling his hips a little into Mark’s hand. He’s going fairly slowly, trying not to overwhelm Arin, but he can tell that he’s getting impatient.

  
“There ya go, Mark, good boy, giving him what he needs.”

  
Dan’s coo is low and sultry, and Mark bites his lip, speeding up his movements a bit before he speaks.

  
“Does it feel good?”

  
Arin nods emphatically, leaning back a little and managing a breathy, “Yeah, yeah, ‘s good, keep goin’.”

  
Mark smiles, moving closer so their foreheads are nearly touching.

  
“Wasn’t planning on stopping, buddy.”

  
Mark goes faster, and Arin lets out a string of broken whines, leaning further into his touch and putting his hands on Mark’s shoulders to support himself. God, he looks so _pretty_ , his dark eyelashes a stark contrast against the rose pink of his cheeks, hair falling in gentle waves over his face like something out of a Renaissance painting. His moans are getting louder, his movements more desperate, and all the while Dan is stroking down his back, running gentle fingers through his hair, telling him how well he treated them, telling him how gorgeous he looks. Arin eats it up, bucking his hips faster, and Mark can feel his breath devolve into panting as he gets closer.

  
“You wanna come?”

  
Arin squeezes his eyes shut again, nodding as best he can with his forehead pressed to Mark’s.

  
“Yeah, fuck, Mark, ‘m so close, c’mon-“

  
Mark ducks his head down, and after a moment of hesitation, bites down onto the spot between Arin’s neck and shoulder, sucking at it for a moment as he pumps faster, and Arin writhes in his grasp, spitting curses and clawing at his shoulders.

  
“Ah! Ss-shit, _Mark_ , good boy, gonna- oh my god, ‘m gonna c-!”

  
Mark keeps going through Arin’s orgasm, drinking in his gasping moans and not stopping until he feels a full-body shudder run through him. When he pulls back to search for a tissue box, Dan, who somehow got his boxers back on without the other two noticing, passes it to him, and he offers him a grateful smile before wiping off his hand and chest. They lay there in silence for a few minutes, chests rising and falling quietly, before Arin speaks up.

  
“Can I be the first to say that was fucking fantastic?”

  
Dan laughs a little, sitting up and looking at his partner fondly.

  
“Yes it was, m’dear, yes it was.”

  
“I mean, yeah, that was just about the best possible way for me to lose my man-virginity.”

  
Arin props himself up too, staring at Mark with disbelieving eyes.

  
“No fucking way, you really haven’t-?”

  
Mark smiles bashfully, rolling his eyes.

  
“Yeah yeah, you’re the first, get all high and mighty about it or whatever.”

  
“But- how the fuck does that not happen? You’ve never even done, like, _anything_ with a guy?”

  
“Nope.”

  
“Not all of us are openly flaming homosexuals from the moment we pop outta the womb, Arin.”

  
Arin cackles at that, chucking a pillow at Dan. He catches it, forcing down a grin and staring back at him with mock-offense.

  
“How could you? My one true love??”

  
He falls back against the cushions, pretending to be in agonizing pain as he reaches out imploringly to Mark.

  
“Save me, Mark! Defend me from this heinous villain!”

  
Mark holds up his hands in self defense, eyes darting between his friends.

  
“Hey, I’m just a bystander, I have nothing to do with this.”

  
Dan gasps and rolls off of the couch in defeat. Arin snickers, standing up and digging through the backpack he’d brought for a change of clothes, making a triumphant noise when he pulled out a rolled-up bundle of clothes.

  
“You seriously bring a change of clothes to work?”

  
“Hey man, I get real sweaty real fast.”

  
“Also we fuck in here sometimes.”

  
Dan’s words are muffled by the carpet in his face, but Mark still hears him, and stifles a laugh at Arin’s betrayed expression.

  
“W- he didn’t need to know that!”

  
Dan sits up inelegantly, all flailing limbs and indignance, narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the coffee table.

  
“Yes he did! We can’t start off our fuckbuddy status with him with lies!”

  
It’s such an absurd sentiment that Mark can’t help but laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners as he wipes the last of the stickiness off of his chest, grabbing his clothes from off of the ground and beginning to redress.

  
“Fuh- fuckbuddy status, huh?”

  
Dan nods, giggling a little as he pulls his sweatshirt back on.

  
“Yeah, you heard what I said.”

  
Mark nods as he does up the last button on his shirt, falling back onto the couch with a satisfied sigh.

  
“Hm. Sounds like a status I could get used to.”

  
Arin smiles at him, and, though Mark’s seen him smile a million times, smile this genuinely maybe in the hundreds, something about the look that he gives him feels new, and rare, and it feels like a thank you.

  
“Welcome back to Game Grumps, where Arin is about to put his shirt on backwards!”

  
Mark bursts into giggles at that, and Arin shoots an accusatory look at his cohost, face pink as he awkwardly pulls his arms back in and turns the shirt around.

  
“Fuck you, you don’t know if this shirt is the right way or not! It’s a new shirt! Maybe I was wearing it wrong earlier!”

  
As Arin and Dan bicker, Mark bends over a little to grab the Switch, forgotten on the floor until now, and feels a little surge of nervous vertigo in his stomach when he catches a glimpse of Arin’s phone, the text app still open. It’s a brief enough glance that he can’t quite read what the reply was, but he sees a few things:

  
The words “We got ‘em!”

  
The contact name, a ring and then two spinning hearts.

  
The picture of him laying on his back, shirtless, his skin shimmery from sweat.

  
_He told Suzy._

  
Mark feels his heart jump in his chest at the implications. He wants to ask Arin how she feels about him, if she’s the one that asked him to make a move, if it’s okay that his mind is already racing to a very non-monetizable place.

  
He shakes his head, sitting up and listening to the tail end of Dan and Arin’s “fight”.

  
“Is it cool that I wasn’t listening to any of that? Like, did you say anything important at all?”

  
Arin turns to him, eyebrows raised.

  
“Do we ever say anything important?”

  
“Well sure, like that time that you.. uh…”

  
Mark giggles quietly, and Arin does too, before interrupting with a loud “ANY _WAYSS_ -“

  
They both laugh as Dan says, “And Mark’s still here! And we’re still playing- what’s this bullshit game called again?”

  
“Fuck if I know.”

  
“Uhhh- yeah me neither, lemme go find the packaging-“

  
Mark hefts himself out of his seat, bending over to search under the coffee table.

  
“Wow, okay, for everyone at home, Mark has just given us a beautiful view of his dumptruck of an ass.”

  
“Oh, thank you, I know it’s gorgeous.”

  
His voice is muffled from his head being shoved underneath the table, but Arin still hears him, judging from the loud cackle he lets out.

  
“Yeah, I wouldn’t normally say this, but lately I’ve become a bit of an expert on the male form, so I gotta say, it’s a good ass you got on ya, Mark.”

  
Mark laughs as he shimmies back out from underneath the table, game box in hand.

  
“You’re not so bad yourself, Avidan.”

  
The three share a Look, and Mark can’t help the little tingle it sends down his spine as he presses play. Dan yawns, stretching, and then, like a cliche from every high school movie, he lets his arm fall across Mark’s shoulders. Arin is less subtle, reaching around him to squeeze Dan’s hand and just letting his arm stay there.

  
Mark settles back into the couch with a smile, letting the comfortable silence fall away and continuing to discuss the game, facepalming and snickering when Arin makes a godawful pun.

  
Yeah, they’re gonna be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> i know i use too much italics but shhhh  
> if you wanna yell at me, i’m fuckyeahegobang on tumblr :3


End file.
